I finally convinced him my hand was fine by wrapping my fingers around his cock and stroking it. That led to another type of hovering, and when he left, we were both smiling and more at ease.
And the week continued. He would appear at some point, lunch in hand. I would hear his truck and wait with anticipation. Sometimes we’d eat and talk. Other times, he’d pull me toward my room, the glint in his eyes unmistakable. He was passionate and demanding, his lovemaking thorough and complete. One day, he insisted we sit outside and enjoy the day, and we both took the afternoon off. On Thursday, I texted him in the morning, telling him not to bring lunch. Instead, I made him macaroni and cheese, having heard him tell Beth that was one of his favorites. He devoured the dish, the smile never leaving his face.
After he finished, he sat across from me, playing with my fingers.
“I have something to ask,” he said.
“Sure.”
“I was wondering if I could have you and Lucy this weekend. Pick you up tomorrow and keep you with me in Port Albany.”
“Wow. We would love that. Lucy will be beside herself.”
“There’s a bed in the guest room. Not much else.”
“I’m sure she can bring a few friends to keep her company,” I said dryly. “She has a couple to pick from.”
“Okay, I’ll pick you up around four. It probably means I won’t be around for lunch.”
“You don’t have to come for lunch every day, Liam. I know you work all over the city and the outskirts. I don’t expect you to keep rearranging your schedule.”
He smiled, still playing with my fingers. “I like it. Lunch is ours. I share you with Lucy and everyone else in the evenings. I like knowing I get to have just you for a bit every day.”
“You must hate all the driving.”
He met my eyes. “No. The only thing I hate is saying goodbye and leaving you. I dislike it at lunch, I hate it at night. I look forward to the day I don’t have to.”
Every time he showed his love, every time he said something unexpectedly sweet about our future, my doubts faded. Little pieces of them disappeared as if they had never existed. I wanted to tell him that, but the words didn’t come. All I could do was smile.
“One day.”
He nodded and stood. “I have to go. I have consultations tonight, so I won’t see you until tomorrow.” He kissed me, long and hard. “I’ll call you later, though, and I’ll see you tomorrow at four. You, me, and the munchkin all weekend.”
He paused before he went out the door. “And, Paige?”
I looked up. “Yeah?”
“That one day? It’s gonna be soon.”
Then he was gone.
I stared at the door for a long time.
Lucy’s laughter filled the pool area, her high-pitched squeal of glee piercing the air as Aiden and Liam tossed her back and forth like a football. A special football. They were only a few feet apart in the pool and she barely left one set of arms before the next caught her, but she was loving every moment. Aiden caught her, settling her on his shoulder.
“All right, Lucy-loo. Time to swim.”
He had been teaching her, never rushed or impatient. She could paddle a little, but he showed her how to kick her feet and move through the water. A pool noodle under her arms helped keep her afloat. He told me earlier he was investigating different techniques to help one-armed swimmers. He was quiet for a few moments, then lowered his voice.
“You ever considered a bionic-type arm? For when she is a little older?” he asked.
“Maybe one day. She hates wearing the prosthesis she has. The War Amps were great with their programs and help and we tried a few, but she has always done better on her own. She has to want it.”
“She might surprise you one day.” He studied her. “They’ve made great progress with them.”
“If it helps her, I’m all for it.”
He nodded. “Good to know.”
He joined Liam and Lucy in the pool via a cannonball and joined back in their fun. Watching them together, they looked like a family. Lucy seemed to resemble Liam more all the time, her smiles as wide as his, her hazel eyes filled with laughter. She had started copying his gestures, even taken to using a few of his sayings.
“It’s what family does, Momma,” she informed me seriously when I thanked her for taking her plate to the sink.
“Need to feed the seed!” She would announce after supper daily. Liam had helped her plant a tiny garden out front, and she religiously watered her little plants every day, getting quite upset when it would rain and steal her tiny moments of pleasure.
The day she murmured “Holy shit” was the day I made Liam sit down and explain what bad words those were and how ashamed he was of having used them. She made Evan tell her all the bad words, and now a swear jar sat on the kitchen counter. Liam and Ronan filled it often. She became a keen listener to their quiet conversations and loved the sound the coins made when they went into the jar. I had a feeling it would pay for her first year of university.